THERMO-ELECTRIC STRUCTURES FOR COOLING, HEATING, AND ELECTRIC CURRENT GENERATION

摘要

The invention is new types of split-thermo-electric structures for cooling, heating, or stabilizing the temperature of an object or for electric power generation. In a first type of structure the transport of the electric current between the heat absorbing and the heat dispersing sides of the structure is disengaged from the flow of heat between the sides of the thermo-electric structure. In a second type of structure a layer of thermo-electric material on the heat absorbing side of the structure is connected by connection layers to two or more layers of thermo-electric material on the heat dispersing side of the structure. In a third type of structure the elements of which the structure is comprised are arranged to cause different values of electric current to flow at the heat absorbing and the heat dispersing sides of the structure and through different elements in the interior of the structure.